At this point allow me a little digression: I recently had a pleasant E-mail correspondence with a reader that followed my writing even before the time when I dedicated myself to Hifistatement. In addition to a lot of positive statements to my current publications, he noted that lately a little madness and exuberance was missing. Reading through my current descriptions of sound his criticism came back to my mind – and I have to admit that he is in some areas certainly right. About 15 years ago the Pluto and Co. would make me break out in true enthusiasm and cheering arias. Apart from the fact, that at some point they start boring you, at least if you read them too often, there is an explanation for the damped euphoria: Many years ago I was unfortunately not in the lucky position to enjoy the sounds of really fine high end components every day. If I listen to equipment of a very high standard today, is more like a comparison with something well know tha a reason for unrestrained effusiveness. The positive side of the coin: You can expect a more informed assessment of the test objects compared to a few years ago.

Spoiled by too much high-end pleasure and with less euphoria I carry on and treat the Pluto and Colibri with the relevant test discs and put them on the LaGrange turntable for comparison now and then. With the LaGrange some records sound a bit more dynamic, peaks seem to have a hint more punch. But the LaGrange is not playing against a background of such blackness, as the Pluto does. Against this blackness, the 12A Carbon, the 6A and the Colibri project an imaginary sound stage which seems to be larger and more sculptural than the one from the LaGrange und Co. In terms of rhythm, playing pleasure and emotional appeal, Brinkmann and Pluto are acting on same very high level. When is about integrating fine details – such as information about the sound stage – in the musical flow there is a small advantage for the Pluto. At least I could live happily as well with the Pluto arm and turntable and the Van den Hul Colibri, as with my current analog combination.